1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:04,440 Spirit forever. Amen. 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,200 Glory be to the everlasting mercies which sent you to us, O 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,880 Christ, the light of the world and the life of all. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,920 Give us wisdom by your law and enlighten our impulses by your 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,920 knowledge. Sanctify our souls by your 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,760 truth, and grant that we may be obedient to your words and may 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,760 fulfill your commandments at every hour. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,920 O you Who enlightens the rationale with the knowledge of 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:33,720 your greatness, do enlight, O my Lord, our thoughts that we may 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,120 meditate upon your holy and divine scriptures at all times. 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,280 O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever. 13 00:00:42,000 --> 00:01:02,880 Amen. One of the many responsibilities 14 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,000 and qualities of a righteous, faithful believer in Jesus 15 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,240 Christ. That is a true, genuine 16 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,320 Christian, and that is one who has believed in him. 17 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,600 One who has been buried with him in the waters of the baptismal 18 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,520 font and has been declared by the priest, who have been 19 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,120 baptized and confirmed in the name of the Father and of the 20 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,760 Son and of the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit and 21 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:34,240 signed with holy oil of unction or anointing is to listen. 22 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:40,160 If one does not read for him or herself, is to listen to the 23 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,280 Holy Scriptures. The Bible, each time they are 24 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:52,520 read and exposed or preached is to read, study, examine and 25 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,960 search the Holy Scriptures and to attend gatherings where the 26 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,440 Holy Scriptures are studied, discussed and taught. 27 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,240 Now the question is begged and I'm sure you're begging this 28 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,600 question. Don't beg, it's OK, I'll ask it. 29 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,240 The question is begged. How one ought to do the above. 30 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,520 Where do you start? How do you start? 31 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,640 What do you do? Well again off the bat and 32 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:20,240 according to the to an anonymous article where I came across 33 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,240 written by an Orthodox Bishop stated that it was probably 34 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,520 during the OR the pre revolutionary Russia, which is 35 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:32,680 included in the commentaries of the Blessed Theophil Act, whose 36 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,280 commentaries are based on Saint John the Chrysostom and his 37 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,840 extensive homilies. On the New Testament writes the 38 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,880 Holy Scriptures. Being the word of God, one ought 39 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:49,000 to approach them in reverence and with prayer to God, 40 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:54,480 beseeching him to graciously grant understanding first and 41 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,240 foremost. Foremost, we have to have 42 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:01,320 respect and reverence for the word of God, for the Bible, the 43 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,440 word itself, the power in the words, the book itself, not 44 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,480 putting it down on the floor and kicking it as a football, 45 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,880 claiming to be a funny Christian act. 46 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,760 That's blasphemy, and unless there's repentance, there's 47 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,520 eternal punishment. That is why when you walk into a 48 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,160 a Christian home, and in particular the Assyrian homes, 49 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,520 you'll find most of the time a book of the Bible the scriptures 50 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,680 opened. And when you ask those simple 51 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,640 old ladies who don't know grace, no, they don't know grace, they 52 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,880 don't know you're saved by grace, you ask them why is this 53 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,200 book open? And they'll reply, Well, I want 54 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,680 the holiness of this book, the power of this book to come out 55 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,000 into my home. Reverence, beloved, reverence. 56 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:53,240 Hence we kiss the Bible. Hence when we we are put to bed. 57 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,960 When we were young and being put to bed, tucked in in bed by our 58 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,000 mothers, they would make us kiss the Bible. 59 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,120 Yeah, not understanding it, haven't read it yet. 60 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,800 But there's you know, to begin with, we knew that this book is 61 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,440 holy, is revered. So after having that reverence 62 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,720 to the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, we need to pray to 63 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,240 God. We need to ask Him to grant us 64 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,399 the understanding, the wisdom, the knowledge. 65 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,200 One prayer which I always offer to God prior to the commencement 66 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,040 of Bible studies gathering those who attend, is that of Saint 67 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,520 John Chrysostom. Before reading the Holy 68 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,120 Scriptures, let me share it with you and you may want to rewind 69 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,440 and write this down. And this could be your model 70 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,960 prayer before you begin to read the Holy Scriptures. 71 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,600 Now some would recommend that you read the Psalms, which is 72 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,120 great. There are Psalms that are 73 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,400 prayers pertaining to the Lord opening our hearts and our 74 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,240 minds. But I love this prayer and I 75 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,920 want to share it with you and it goes like this. 76 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,440 Always begin with the name of the Father and of the Son and of 77 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,640 the Holy Spirit doing signing the cross on yourself. 78 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:02,520 Don't be reluctant. Don't be fooled by those who 79 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,640 mock the sign of the cross and the prayer goes our Lord Jesus 80 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,640 Christ. Open the eyes of our hearts, 81 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,040 that we may hear your word and understand and do your will, For 82 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,320 we are sojourners, refugees upon the earth. 83 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,880 Hide not your commandments for us, but open your eyes, that we 84 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,320 may perceive the wonders of your law. 85 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,680 Speak unto us the hidden and secret things of your wisdom, O 86 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,360 Lord of all, and you conclude one more time with the name of 87 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,680 the One, Godfather and Son, Holy Spirit, and the sign of the Holy 88 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,040 Cross. It's a beautiful prayer and it 89 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,680 entails everything and refers to reading the Holy Scriptures. 90 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:49,160 Another prayer is what we pray the beginning of this program. 91 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,560 Every episode of the prayer is recited. 92 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:57,640 Glory be to the everlasting mercies which has sent you to 93 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,720 us, O Christ, the light of the world and life forever and ever. 94 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,480 Amen. These are actually the 95 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,480 liturgical prayers. These are the preparatory 96 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:09,320 prayers in during the celebration of the Divine 97 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,600 Liturgy of Holy Qurbana, before the priest proceeds to come out 98 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,960 with the Holy Gospel. And these are the prayers that 99 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,200 sometimes they are said silently, but at times some 100 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,000 priests recite them loudly for people to hear and their 101 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,560 beautiful prayers, preparing the priest that the Lord will 102 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:35,720 enlighten him and move him and and and and direct him to dare 103 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,800 to read and comment on the Holy Scriptures being the Word of 104 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,640 God. So before you commence the 105 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,680 reading of the Word, the Holy Scriptures beseech the Lord of 106 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,840 the Word in prayer and supplication to grant you 107 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:58,360 knowledge and understanding of the Word, and finally the 108 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:03,920 strength to be a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer of 109 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:09,920 the Word. Now also the Blessed Theophlec 110 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:14,360 writes, or the Orthodox Bishop, Since the Sacred Scriptures were 111 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,040 written down under the inspiration of the Spirit of 112 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:22,880 God, that is the Holy Spirit, we can understand them correctly, 113 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:28,200 truthfully, only by the assistance of the Spirit of God. 114 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:33,040 It ain't mean to that. So we don't dare to try to 115 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,440 understand them with our own limited carnal understanding and 116 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,400 knowledge. No, We rely and refer in the 117 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,560 prayer and during reading that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of 118 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,560 God, the Spirit of holiness, will reveal to us the truth of 119 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,800 the words and the message and the power that is in the word. 120 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,440 Why? Saint Paul the blessed apostle 121 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,600 writes to the Corinthians in his First Epistle, chapter 2, verse 122 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,800 14. And listen to this carefully. 123 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:07,880 The natural man, the carnal man, Barnasia, the natural man, one 124 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,680 who does not have the Holy Spirit within him, receives not 125 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,800 the things of the Spirit of God, cannot, cannot, cannot contain, 126 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,320 cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God, for they are 127 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:24,040 foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, 128 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,480 because they are spiritually discerned. 129 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,160 The Holy Scriptures are spiritually discerned. 130 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:37,039 And the natural man, ordinary man, also make judgment on 131 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:40,440 spiritual things by the understanding of their own 132 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:42,960 reason. You know, many a times during 133 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:47,720 Bible studies when we examine or discuss a certain verse or a 134 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,480 topic, Well, I think, and I always say I'm sorry, but I'm 135 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,320 not concerned about what you think or what you feel. 136 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:59,880 No, I want the truth of the word, the meaning of the word. 137 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,840 So they try to understand with their own reason without 138 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:08,560 submitting themselves to faith and the faith in one God 139 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:12,640 Almighty, His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit 140 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,680 that proceeds from the Father, the life giving Spirit. 141 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,640 You see, our minds can only comprehend or grasp divine 142 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,880 teachings when the grace of the Holy Spirit enlightens it. 143 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,000 It's just like when you are in a dark room and there are 144 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,760 furniture in the in the room. There are a lot of obstacles in 145 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,000 the room, a lot of objects in the room. 146 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,080 You try to walk from one end to of the room to the other end, 147 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,320 you're gonna fall because those objects are not revealed and not 148 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,840 exposed. So until you switch on the 149 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,800 light, when you switch on the light, that brightness, that 150 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,040 light reveals all the hidden objects and obstacles in the 151 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,240 dark. So also the spiritual life. 152 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:02,120 We can understand and perceive spiritual subjects and matters 153 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,720 only in the light of the Holy Spirit. 154 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,120 We need to always keep in mind, beloved, that one of the works 155 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:17,320 of the Holy Spirit as Jesus teaches in John chapter 14, 156 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:22,440 verse 26, The Holy Spirit, the Paraclate, the Redeemer of the 157 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:29,800 Accursed, is to teach all things as stated by Christ, one of the 158 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:33,160 services. Lack of a better term, one of 159 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,400 the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit, is to teach. 160 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,400 So when you don't understand something, you pray to the Holy 161 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:45,760 Spirit, Reveal to me, open my eyes, open the eyes of my mind 162 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,120 or open my heart. You know, in the Old Testament 163 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,240 there was no word of the mind, it was always the heart, because 164 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,400 they didn't understand the mind. It was the mind was the heart. 165 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,680 But in the New Testament, now you see the mind and the heart. 166 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,840 To open my heart, open my mind so that I may understand. 167 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,760 And we're going to close off with After you do understand, 168 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:14,200 what do you do with that? So we implore God with reverence 169 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,800 that He enlightens our minds with the grace of the Holy 170 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:23,320 Spirit, and that He grants that we may understand the teaching 171 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:29,840 of His words and why that is for our own edification and growth 172 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:35,320 in our relationship with God. The purpose for reading the Holy 173 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:40,040 Scriptures is not to go out there and take it as a fighting 174 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:47,320 weapon to offend people. No is that we increase our 175 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:52,320 relationship with God by knowing Him through His Word, the Holy 176 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,280 Scriptures, the written Word, and through the word of God, the 177 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,400 Word of God, His Son L or Jesus Christ. 178 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,080 Now we have referred to understanding the word many 179 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,840 times, but the question I feel being begged again and I will do 180 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:08,960 it for you. It's OK. 181 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,240 I'm a humble priest. I'll do it for you. 182 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:17,280 I'll do your Your begging for you is in what framework? 183 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,440 In which framework or according to what measure or whose 184 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:27,600 interpretation and directions are we to understand and 185 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:32,600 comprehend and to accept the meaning, the interpretation of 186 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:36,000 the Holy Scriptures? Great question, Amazing 187 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,040 question. Well, very simple. 188 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,920 Sometimes I I make out that the questions are really hard. 189 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,280 You know, some people during Bible studies have commented 190 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,480 that they say, Robbie, when you ask a question and you sort of 191 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,600 lean back on your chair when you're sitting and you look at 192 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,400 us, it's like we think, Oh my God, what's the answer? 193 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,640 It sounds so this has got to be theological. 194 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,160 This is one of those capitulation, Leonor Saroon, one 195 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,160 of those capitulation questions. And then when we're, we can't 196 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,600 answer, you come back and say, and it's so simple and we say, 197 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,560 well, you, you make it seem so hard. 198 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:14,840 This is very simple, Beloved. In what framework and according 199 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:19,240 to whose understanding and life and interpret, interpretation 200 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,400 and usage of the Word of God are we to understand the church? 201 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:31,000 The church? One more time, the church Ayeta, 202 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,320 not umrah. Say thank God we have two words. 203 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,680 We have umrah, we have Ayeta. Umrah is the dwelling, place is 204 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:43,400 the building, is the premises. Ayeta is you and I, the body of 205 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,280 Christ, the church that Christ established on earth, the body 206 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:52,520 of believers. Now we need to refer to the 207 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:53,560 church. Why? 208 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,640 Why the church? Why can't every person claim to 209 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,360 interpret the scriptures and teaches scriptures? 210 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,240 You know why? Because if this was never 211 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:08,920 allowed and it didn't at all come about, we won't have 30,000 212 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:14,120 denominations of Christianity. I'm sorry, but yes, 30 to 213 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,200 33,000. You know why? 214 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:19,560 Because people picked up the scriptures and interpreted 215 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:23,920 according to their own understanding and and how it fit 216 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:30,120 in their own lifestyle. So those who condemned the early 217 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,720 church for not permitting the faithful to read the scriptures, 218 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,200 well, we stand corrected. We stand rebuked. 219 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,280 Do you know why? So that not every person will 220 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:45,920 interpret scriptures to understand them according their 221 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,480 to according to their own knowledge and understanding and 222 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:53,000 wisdom and philosophy and theology and school of thought. 223 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,240 But the Church? And there is something within 224 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,720 the church as well. Why the church? 225 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,520 Because this is what the solar scripture. 226 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,960 Let's be let's let's play the Solar Scriptura. 227 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:06,400 Not game. I'm sorry. 228 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:07,880 Oh, it's. I won't use the word game, but 229 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,240 the the solar scripture a concept. 230 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,640 OK, Only the Bible. Only the Bible. 231 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,520 Nothing outside of the Bible. All right. 232 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,080 Amen. Well, the Bible says that the 233 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,440 church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, not the 234 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,080 Bible. So you go and fight with that 235 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,080 solar scripture. You go now and and question the 236 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,560 holy scriptures and say how dare you holy scriptures write that 237 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,400 the church is the pillar and truth of foundation or the 238 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,400 pillar and foundation of the truth, not the scripture. 239 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,320 Saint Paul. Actually, you got to you've got 240 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,360 to go and face Saint Paul. This is what the Bible is saying 241 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:43,360 about the church in one Timothy chapter 3, verse 15, which is 242 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:47,760 the pillar and the foundation of the truth. 243 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,640 Now, yes, I can feel it. Which church, Robbie, you just 244 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:55,360 mentioned 3030 to 33,000 denominations. 245 00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:02,320 Well, the one Holy and Apostolic and Catholic with a small C not 246 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,520 Roman Catholic Catholic denoting universal the complete. 247 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:12,120 There's a small sea that church beloved that we recite in the 248 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,640 the Nicaean creed. We believe in the one holy and 249 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:21,160 Apostolic and Catholic Church. Why? 250 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:27,400 Well since the church canonized, accepted and rejected the book 251 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:32,080 of the Bible. Keep in mind, beloved, for 30 to 252 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:38,200 40 years, let's just you know the the the years are varying, 253 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,400 right? Let's just, let's just take it 254 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,200 as an argument's sake for 30 to 40 years or maybe even 70 years. 255 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,240 Beloved, there was no that there was no there was no Gospels. 256 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:57,360 Gospel means Jesus Christ. The first gospel, that which 257 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,600 that was preached was by the angels. 258 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,760 Glory to God in the highs 'cause they told of a good tidings 259 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,560 which is Jesus Christ. There was no Bible, there was no 260 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:09,000 New Testament. Do you know the first written 261 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,760 book? The first recorded found written 262 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,960 scriptures was either one Corinthians I've heard or one 263 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,200 Thessalonians. Not Matthew or John or Mark. 264 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:23,440 No. For 40 to 50 to 70, let's let's 265 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:26,160 give it that time frame. There was no Bible. 266 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,080 Beloved. What was the church sitting 267 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:33,520 there Matthew, Mark and and and so I'm sorry Peter and John and 268 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,480 Thomas were stay sitting there and twiddling their thumbs and 269 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,400 waiting for us book to come down so that we can start using it as 270 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,640 a guide. No gospel means Jesus Christ. 271 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,560 Jesus was preached and by the way he was preached. 272 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:51,200 In the faint framework of the Old Testament, the apostles 273 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,200 would go to the to the synagogues and preach Jesus. 274 00:17:54,400 --> 00:18:00,960 They would preach the Feast of the Tabernacles and the feast of 275 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,320 the Pentecost. But they would preach Jesus, 276 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:08,600 Christ being the fulfillment of all these feasts until they were 277 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:14,160 expelled from the synagogue. So where did the Bible come from 278 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:19,400 Within the church? And how was the Bible canonized? 279 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:25,040 The writings were examined according to the framework and 280 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,920 according to the life of the Church. 281 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:33,640 That's why we need to understand them according to the framework 282 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,200 of the Church. The one Holy and Apostolic and 283 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,000 Catholic with a small C universal church. 284 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,800 You see, we have our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ. 285 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,920 Praise me to His name, who by the way, He's prayed for 286 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:53,160 everyone. When I begin to pray, sometimes 287 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,280 I'm not going to be a hero until every time I when I begin to 288 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,280 pray and I end my prayer, I always encourage myself and say 289 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,640 You fool Jesus prayed for you. Christ has already prayed for us 290 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:09,320 and that we need to pray to him, not for him, but to Him. 291 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,400 So Jesus Christ prayed to his Father for those who believed, 292 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,280 listen to this. He prayed not only for these 293 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,960 that He's his disciples, but also to those or for those who 294 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:24,720 believe in Him by the words of the Apostles, not the writings, 295 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:29,320 not the books they carried by the words of the Apostles whom 296 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:34,360 went and preached Jesus Christ crucified, resurrected, and He's 297 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:38,560 sitting at the right hand prays be to His name, either either in 298 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:43,800 writing or oral teaching and expositions of the Apostles 299 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,800 before any books of the New Testament were written. 300 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:53,200 So one must understand the Sacred Scriptures as the Holy 301 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:57,640 Church explains them and as the Holy Fathers and teachers of the 302 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:01,880 Church understood them and how they incorporated them in the 303 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,000 Church life and in the Church liturgy. 304 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,960 Let me give you an example how much we learn from the Church 305 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:12,560 liturgy. The boxer. 306 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,880 I'm going to use the liturgy of the burial of Christians. 307 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:21,480 In one of the antiphons or one of the hymns this is this is 308 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,480 referring to repentance or the unrepentant souls, right? 309 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,120 So there's a lot of questions. We read the the scriptures and 310 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,160 sometimes we may not get a clear answer. 311 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:36,240 Understanding we come to the Holy Liturgies and the Divine 312 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:37,960 Liturgies and we find our answer. 313 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,720 And here it is Those who are refused by their deeds. 314 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,840 The door to the bridal chamber will not be open unto them, 315 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:47,360 referring to the Five foolish virgins. 316 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,560 Abraham will not refresh those who are suffering in the flames 317 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,480 of the fire. This is the parable of Lazarus 318 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:59,720 and the rich man. The judge, being Christ, will 319 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,720 not forgive those who have not repented. 320 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:02,520 Simple. There it is. 321 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,440 There's my answer about repentance, non repentant soul. 322 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,160 What will happen in the liturgy? So the scriptures are not only 323 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,480 limited to that book that you hold in your hand. 324 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,240 And by the way, I forgot to mention going back to the 325 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,600 reverence of the book and throw it in your, you know, in the 326 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,720 back of the car, in the trunk and throw it on the ground in 327 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,040 the back seat. Don't just toss it in the in on 328 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,120 the table when you walk in your home. 329 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,480 Put it in a respectable place. Maybe put it in your glove box 330 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:37,080 or leave it with you until you get home. 331 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,920 Don't leave it in the car. It's not a a, you know, going 332 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,280 back many, many moons. It's not one of those. 333 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,360 Rigby's street. What do I call them? 334 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:47,640 St. Directories? 335 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:49,920 No, beloved. It's the written word of God. 336 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,360 It has power. So there it is. 337 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,360 You know, beyond the Holy Scriptures, we see that the 338 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:00,800 Church incorporated the Scriptures even in its liturgy 339 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:06,040 to teach the faithful the meaning, the truth of Jesus 340 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:10,320 Christ, an understanding of death and judgement. 341 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,640 And this is, again, not according to one's own feeling, 342 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:18,840 emotions, personal understanding and certainly interpretations, 343 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,000 but rather within the framework of the life of the Church, her 344 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,720 holy Fathers and teachers. Why? 345 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,080 Because when we read the Word of God attentively, carefully, 346 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,560 reverently, yes, there are some things that are clear and they 347 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,840 are understandable, the Holy Spirit reveals to us. 348 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,080 But there are some things that we don't understand. 349 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,440 I'm sure you're agreeing with me. 350 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,320 I'm sure you're shaking your head right. 351 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,800 But if you're driving people to probably think, why is this guy 352 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:50,200 shaking his head? Yes. 353 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:51,360 In agreeance. That's right. 354 00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:53,480 So what do you do? You text Cassia Gennard, right? 355 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:57,440 You message Cassia Gennard. You, you, you reach out to 356 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,480 Cassia Gerard or your parish priest. 357 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,600 And you know what Cassia Gennard does, let me tell you. 358 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,680 That's why I delay in my replies and I say, oh, I'm sorry, I was 359 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,000 busy. No, I wasn't busy. 360 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,720 I may have been busy, but I'm busy searching the Church 361 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:18,280 Fathers and the Church liturgy and the life of the Church to 362 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:23,040 give you that true interpretation direction of the 363 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:27,200 Holy Scriptures, not my own understanding and my own 364 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:31,840 philosophy or theology. And I always give disclaimers. 365 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,480 I mean during these episodes I always say according to Saint 366 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,920 John the Saint John Chrysostom, according to Saint Ephrem the 367 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,920 Syrian, according to the Blessed Theophilac, right? 368 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:47,400 Trying to avoid plagiarism too? I think so. 369 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:51,160 Finally, Beloved, after approaching the Scriptures in 370 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:57,080 reverence, praying and reading and consulting and researching 371 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,120 and referring to the Church Fathers and the understanding of 372 00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:03,160 the Scriptures by the Church in the framework of the Church and 373 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,360 the life of the Church, finally what we must do is approach the 374 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:11,200 Holy Scriptures with the one and most important mission, intent 375 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:15,640 and purpose. And that is to fill, fulfill 376 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:24,000 them, to obey them, to do them, to live them and reflect. 377 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:30,840 Meditate on them to please God with our thoughts, words, deeds 378 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:34,360 and actions according to the instructions of the Holy 379 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:39,200 Scriptures, Jesus said in Luke Chapter 11, verse 28. 380 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,680 Blessings to those who have heard the word of God and keep 381 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,960 it, keep it not just meaning. Oh I understanding it's in my 382 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:49,320 mind. It's in my heart. 383 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:54,280 I believe it. No keep it in their daily life. 384 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,200 What he's saying is blessed are they who listen to the teaching 385 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,400 of the word of God with reverence and then submit to it, 386 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:08,320 keeping it in their thoughts, desires, words and deeds, and 387 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:13,200 who strive both openly and secretly to serve the Lord God 388 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,760 ever fulfilling His commandments. 389 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:22,520 And blessed it will be you, my dear brother and sister, my dear 390 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:27,400 listeners, if you strive to listen to the word of God and to 391 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,280 keep the commandments of God. If you strive to listen to these 392 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,200 episodes of the Double Edged Sword podcast ministry and not 393 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,000 just text me and say I love your podcast. 394 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,480 So I'll be, you know, please. And I say this in all humility 395 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:44,680 and I say this in all love and respect. 396 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:50,680 Don't tell me what you love and how much you enjoy. 397 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,760 Just pray for this ministry because it's not my ministry. 398 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:01,280 Pray for the ministry. You will be blessed because even 399 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:06,400 on earth you will live with God and beyond the grave, eternal 400 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,840 reward, rewards will be awaiting you in the mansions of heaven, 401 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:18,880 where you will be everlastingly blessed, glorifying God the 402 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,120 Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. 403 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:51,240 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 404 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,560 message. Please don't forget to rate and 405 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,320 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 406 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,000 For any future topics, suggestions, or to give us 407 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,600 detailed feedback, please visit our link in the show notes 408 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:08,360 linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword Until next 409 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:09,480 time. God bless you all.